News

The SSHSPH family kicked off the Lunar New Year with a bang on 20 February, where we also celebrated our Long Service Awardees!

SPH2801 is a Special Term course that examines the structural, socioeconomic, cultural, and political factors shaping health equity, with a particular focus on Asia. Through a combination of classroom learning and overseas field engagement, students gain a deeper understanding of how health inequities manifest in real-world settings and how they are addressed in practice.
A core component of the course is an immersive field trip to Cambodia, where students engage with communities, healthcare providers, and organisations working to advance more inclusive and equitable health systems.
Participation Pathways
Undergraduate students: Undergraduate students will enrol in SPH2801 as a credit-bearing Special Term course, which includes a compulsory overseas field trip.
Postgraduate students: Postgraduate students may participate in the Cambodia field trip as a non-credit experiential learning opportunity, joining the same itinerary as undergraduate students.
Key Details
Field Trip Location: Cambodia
Field Trip Dates: 5–12 July 2026
Registration Closes: 2 March 2026, 11:59 PM
For queries, please email UGhelp_SPH@nus.edu.sg. Click the buttons below to register.

SSHSPH and CMB Foundation convened experts and researchers from ASEAN countries and institutions to explore establishing a regional network focused on strengthening data capacity for health policy and health systems.

Two newly confirmed Nipah virus cases in West Bengal have renewed global attention on the deadly but rare infection. While a large-scale outbreak remains unlikely, healthcare workers face elevated risks, underscoring the importance of sustained preparedness.

Drawing on Singapore’s experience during the 1999 Nipah outbreak and subsequent public health crises such as SARS, experts highlight how measures including personal protective equipment, isolation protocols, diagnostics, and robust contact tracing can effectively contain spread.

The NUS Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health (SSHSPH) is proud to announce the establishment of the Occupational Medicine Excellence Medal, a new award created to recognise the next generation of leaders in workplace health.

The medal was made possible through a successful fundraising campaign led by SSHSPH alumnus Assoc Professor Gan Wee Hoe. Spanning 2024 to 2025, the initiative raised a capital sum of S$75,000 through the generous contributions of many former students of Prof Koh, alumni and friends.

Honouring a Global Leader in Occupational Health
The medal is named in honour of Professor David Koh, a distinguished researcher and educator whose work has shaped occupational health policy and research internationally. Known for his expertise in environmental medicine and his dedication to preventing work-related diseases and fatalities, Professor Koh’s legacy will inspire future generations of occupational health professionals through this annual award.

The Occupational Medicine Excellence Medal will be awarded to graduates of the Master of Public Health (MPH) with a specialisation in Occupational Health who demonstrate a rare combination of academic brilliance and significant extra-curricular contributions.

A Night of Appreciation
On 2 February, the School hosted an appreciation dinner to thank the donors who made this vision a reality. The evening was a celebration of the enduring bond between the School and its alumni, and a shared commitment to excellence in public health.

The global health governance landscape is at a critical juncture. Post–World War II multilateral models are increasingly strained by geopolitical fragmentation, declining development aid, and persistent failures to address transnational crises—from pandemics and climate change to conflict. At the same time, shrinking Official Development Assistance and a shift from grants to loans are deepening debt burdens in low-income countries.

Against this backdrop, Dean, Prof Teo Yik Ying, Asst Prof Kiesha Prem and Ms Afifah Ismat Rahman-Shepherd represented the School at the Special Session: The Future of Global Health Governance in a Fragmented World, held at the Prince Mahidol Award Conference (PMAC) 2026.

The Special Session shared the findings from the Asia-Pacific Regional Dialogue on Global Health Architecture Reform, including the three-day Singapore convening held back in November 2025. The Asia-Pacific regional consensus highlighted the need for a nationally designed, regionally coordinated and globally aligned global health architecture.

This extraordinary session was enriched with three panel discussions which moved beyond aspirational rhetoric to explore pragmatic, equity-centred strategies across three critical dimensions:
• Changes in the global health architecture and their implications for governance, diplomacy, and the financing of global health
• Reimagining new models of governance and health diplomacy suited to a multipolar and fragmented world
• Reimagining alternative and sustainable models of global health financing, beyond traditional aid-dependent paradigms

By examining decentralized and polycentric approaches, regional alliances, and innovative financing mechanisms, the session aimed to restore trust, strengthen resilience, and ensure inclusive participation for an equitable global health future.

Read the full report on Reimagining Global Health Reform in the Asia Pacific.

At PMAC 2026, we were honoured to join HITAP, Wateroam, and network partners to advance sustainable access to safe, clean water for rural communities. On 26 January at the Centara Grand Bangkok Convention Centre at CentralWorld, Dr. Somruk Chungsaman, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public Health, opened the seminar, “Clean Water, Shared Futures: Strengthening Water Security, Sustainability and Equity for Rural Health amid Demographic Change.”

Discussions spanned:

– Assessing water security in rural schools and healthcare facilities
– Tackling emerging threats from microplastics and environmental pollution
– Community perspectives from remote areas, alongside insights from the Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF)
– Lessons from collaboration in Laos and approaches for Thailand’s rural schools
– Findings from satisfaction and impact studies using Photovoice
– A new model for evaluating the cost-effectiveness of investments in water security
– Live demonstrations of innovative water filtration technologies, usage, and water quality testing

The Thai–Singaporean pilot is installing innovative water filtration systems at Mae Tuen Wittayakom School (Omkoi, Chiang Mai) and Border Patrol Police School No. 87 (Mae Fah Luang, Chiang Rai), with the goal of delivering sustainable, safe water access and reducing health disparities in remote areas.

As Dr. Somruk emphasized, “Clean water is the foundation of good health… Access to clean and safe water is about restoring fundamental rights and equality, ultimately reducing the burden on the Thai public health system.”

We commend HITAP, the Ministry of Public Health, Wateroam, EJF, and all partners for advancing evidence-based solutions—combining proven technology, research, cost–benefit analysis, and community feedback—to address structural challenges for the long term.

On 27 January 2026, over 40 deans and senior academic leaders from Schools of Public Health around the world gathered for the inaugural Global Convening of Deans of Global Public Health. Dean, Prof Teo Yik Ying, represented the School at this dedicated Side Meeting held at the Prince Mahidol Award Conference (PMAC) 2026.

The convening articulated a clear and collective vision: a future where Schools of Public Health are not merely institutions of traditional knowledge production, but active architects of global health resilience. This vision is grounded in the belief that academic institutions have both the credibility and the responsibility to safeguard scientific truth, promote equity, and translate evidence into policy and programmatic impact.

From discussions on academic-government partnerships, to improving access to quality public health curriculum and tackling misinformation and disinformation in health, the convening identified five emerging strategic priorities from the discussions:

Amplifying long-term thinking
Schools of Public Health need to champion evidence-based, intergenerational health priorities, even in political environments dominated by short-term considerations.

Strengthening health diplomacy
As leadership and scientific stewardship gaps widen in global health, Schools of Public Health need to engage more proactively in health diplomacy and technical partnerships with governments, multilateral organisations, and regional bodies to support coordinated action.

Embedding academic–government collaboration
Public health academia needs to work together with governments to design, implement, and evaluate health policies and programmes that are sustainable, equitable, and efficient. Schools of Public Health must play a more integrated role in leading research that is policy-relevant, timely, and responsive to national and global priorities, to drive policy advocacy, monitoring and evaluation, and the co-design of national health strategies.

Improving access to quality curriculum
Expanding access to public health training through curriculum quality enhancement and institutionalised curriculum transfers as sustainable, bi-directional capacity-building models, enabling emerging Schools of Public Health in LMICs to adapt, mentor, and sustain high-quality training for future generations without reliance on external aid.

Defending scientific integrity
In an era of misinformation and disinformation, Schools of Public Health need to stand united in defending scientific integrity. This includes communicating evidence clearly, refuting falsehoods, and educating the public, even when misinformation is amplified by powerful interests. Safeguarding scientific truth is foundational to public trust and effective health policy.

The inaugural convening concluded with a shared call to action: for Schools of Public Health to rethink its mandate and responsibilities, including a new kind of leadership role in global health. One that extends beyond teaching and publications, and towards shaping how evidence informs political decisions, diplomatic engagement, and real-world practice.

By harnessing the full potential of public health academia, the global community can better safeguard health equity and scientific truth, leverage knowledge for transformative action, and accelerate progress towards improved health and wellbeing for future generations.

Special thanks to the following speakers and moderators for their invaluable contributions:

Prof Teo Yik Ying, Vice President (Global Health), National University of Singapore (NUS); concurrently Dean, Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, NUS

Dr Margaret Chan, Founding Dean, Tsinghua Vanke School of Public Health; concurrently Emeritus Director-General of World Health Organisation.

Prof Liam Smeeth, Director, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

Prof David Bishai, Director, School of Public Health, University of Hong Kong

Dr Karla Soares-Weiser, Chief Executive Officer, Cochrane

We also thank all participants for sharing their perspectives and experiences at this convening.

On 14 January 2026 in Phnom Penh, the NUS Cambodia Program was honoured to co-convene the National Cancer Control Plan (NCCP) Implementation Workshop with the Department of Preventive Medicine and Calmette Hospital, under the Ministry of Health’s leadership.

His Excellency Dr Ngov Kang, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Health, opened the event and highlighted the rising incidence and mortality of cancer. He welcomed the timely dialogue at the workshop, which focused on translating the National Cancer Control Plan 2025–2030 into clear, coordinated actions for 2026–2027 — prioritising prevention, early detection, effective treatment, and strong governance.

The workshop brought together more than 100 participants from national and provincial levels, across ministries, hospitals, development partners, and civil society.

Key discussions highlighted:
🔹 Investing upstream in prevention and early detection
🔹 Strengthening health worker capacity and cancer care pathways
🔹 Building robust cancer information systems and registries
🔹 Conducting implementation, monitoring, and mid-term review in 2027

As mentioned by SSHSPH Vice Dean (Global Health) Prof Alex Cook, who gave remarks at the opening segment, we are proud to be in Cambodia for the 12th year and are committed to supporting effective, fair, and sustainable systems for cancer prevention and care. Also, a big thank you to Dr Kennedy Ng from the National Cancer Centre Singapore for presenting and sharing the experience of Singapore!

Together, we move from strategy to action — for better health outcomes and a stronger health system. 💪